WHO IS HE?: A young rapper from Bolton who, as you may have inferred from his stage-name, isn’t lacking in self-confidence. In fairness though, Superlative has every right to be feeling buoyant right now. Over the past 12 months, Superlative, whose real name is Corey Brown, has enjoyed a blistering introduction to Manchester’s vibrant urban music scene. The 22-year-old received glowing reviews for his debut EP Written Free Sundays, a collection which showcased his talent for blending trap-style beats with golden age hip-hop production, as well as his dynamic flow and wordplay. Even more impressively, Brown beat off stiff competition to feature on the recording of a new track, Lover, as part of the Red Bull Raise The Bar Challenge. Firmly picking up the pace for 2019 – his first show of the year is at the popular Beeswaxx night – Manchester’s next big urban breakout star will surely leave you grasping for, well, superlatives.

FOR FANS OF: Kendrick Lamar, Drake, ScHoolboy Q.

MAKE A DATE: Superlative plays Night & Day Cafe (as part of the Beeswaxx clubnight) on Saturday, January 12. Listen to tracks at – soundcloud.com/officialsuperlative